What is a Gamma Ray Burst?

A gamma-ray burst (GRB) is a brief flash of gamma rays coming from an astrophysical source at great distances from us, often from hundreds of millions of light years away. Gamma rays are a kind of light (like visible light, microwaves, or X-rays) that is very energetic, and whatever produces gamma rays must therefore contain (and unleash) a large amount of energy in a very short amount of time. Thus the study of gamma ray bursts is a study of some of the most violent events in the universe.